Chapter 1 Summary: In this chapter, the author tells a little bit of the history of how the drug industry got to where it is today. She also talks alot about how lucrative the industry is. Finally, she talks about how the drug companies spend 2.5 times less on research and development of drugs than on the marketing effort of these drugs. Prediction: I predict that the author will talk about how the drugs that the drug companies make aren't as good as they could be.
Chapter 2 Summary: One of the big things that the author talks about in this chapter is how the companies make it sound like they spend so much time and money on researching and developing of new, innovative drugs. In reality, they don't spend much money on this area. She also talks about pre-clinical and clinical trials and how they get the people to test their drugs.
Prediction: I predict that she will talk about a bad clinical trial.
Chapter 3 Summary: In the beginning of this chapter, she talks about how drug companies can blackmail the consumers into paying large amounts for the drugs, because they claim they need the money to make more lifesaving drugs. She also brings forward what some call the "black box", which is the secrecy of the companies with large expenses categorized "other".
Prediction: I predict that the author will say something about how the CEO's earn a great deal of money.
Chapter 4 Summary: This chapter was mainly about how many new and innovative drugs there actually were coming out. The companies claim that prices are high because of the innovative new drugs that are coming out on a yearly basis. According to the author, this is a lie because there are very few new drugs coming out. She then lists a bunch of drugs like this that have claims of high research and development costs, but really don't have high costs.
Prediction: I think that she will now talk about the drugs that are copies, or "me too" drugs.
Chapter 5 Summary: In the beginning of this chapter, the author talks about "me too" drugs. Seventy-seven percent of new drugs approved by the FDA are "me too" drugs. These "me too" drugs previously were patented, but when the patent expires many different companies begin to make what is basically the same drug. To get on the market, all they have to do is be proven better than a suger pill (placebo). She then uncovers a British company's scheme to extend their patent by making an identical drug and then switching the previous drug users over to it before the patent expired.
Prediction: I predict that she will uncover some other type of scandal in the drug industry.
Chapter 6 Summary: In this chapter, the author talks about how a clinical trial of a drug can be rigged and then gives an example of this foul play. She also talks about how doctor's think that they are getting unbiased information from medical journals when they really aren't. She tells that they companies put out biased trial reports that make their drugs look good.
Prediction: I predict that the offer will uncover some sort of bribing that is going on in the industry.
Chapter 7 Summary: This chapter talks about the advertising wars of drug companies. The drug companies fight for the consumer to request their drug and not a "me too" copy. She then goes into the four main types of advertising: direct, doctoral, free samples, and medical journal advertising. Direct advertising is advertising straight to the consumer, including TV commercials. Doctoral advertising is leading CME's, or continuing medical education. Free samples are given to the doctors to give to patients, and medical journal advertising is misleading advertisements in medical journals.
Prediction: I predict that the author will talk about a different type of black box, but this one will be about drug safety.
Chapter 8 Summary: This chapter begins by talking about how the government and doctors play along with drug companies lies because they are getting paid and bribed by the drug companies. The drug companies pay or help pay for professional meetings which helps get their name out and helps the professional societies put on their events. Prediction: I predict that she will now talk about how the government gets bribed by drug companies.
Chapter 9 Summary: This chapter begins by discussing how drug companies market their drugs. The book talks about they can make it from a small grossing drug to a blockbuster drug (drug that makes over a billion annually). It also discusses Type 4 testing, which is after clinical trials and is very biased and profitable for the doctors who run them.
Prediction: I predict that the book will talk about how there is a Type 5 testing that is there just so that companies can say that it costs a lot for them to test their drugs.
Chapter 10 Summary: This chapter talks about how companies draw out their patents and exclusive rights for a longer time. It talks about how the company loses hundreds of millions of dollars a year after the generic drugs come out because of their lower price point. It then gives a couple of examples of this type situation.
Prediction: I predict that the next chapter will be about drug advertising.
Chapter 11 Summary: This chapter begins by talking about how medicare was changed in 2003 to pay for any and all perscription drugs. It also talks about how much money that drug companies spend on lobbyists in Washington, DC. The author says that the drug industry employs 675 lobbyist at a payroll of $91 million. This is the most out of any industry or any cause.
Prediction: I predict that the next chapter will talk about where the industry is headed in the future.
Chapter 12 Summary: This chapter talks about how America is one of the only developed countries that doesn't regulate drug prices. It also talks about the illegal importation of the drugs from Canada by consumers looking for better prices. It also shows the likely downward trend that the drug companies will face in the years to come.
Prediction: I predict that the last chapter will summarize and talk about how a person can watch out for the cheaper drugs.
Chapter 13 Summary: This chapter talks about things that the companies need to do to start moving in the right direciton again. Suggestion are make less "me too" drugs and more innovative drugs and be more truthful to the consumer. The author had one more important thing to say: the drug industry needs to stop corrupting new doctors through medical education.
Summary: In this chapter, the author tells a little bit of the history of how the drug industry got to where it is today. She also talks alot about how lucrative the industry is. Finally, she talks about how the drug companies spend 2.5 times less on research and development of drugs than on the marketing effort of these drugs.
Prediction: I predict that the author will talk about how the drugs that the drug companies make aren't as good as they could be.
Chapter 2
Summary: One of the big things that the author talks about in this chapter is how the companies make it sound like they spend so much time and money on researching and developing of new, innovative drugs. In reality, they don't spend much money on this area. She also talks about pre-clinical and clinical trials and how they get the people to test their drugs.
Prediction: I predict that she will talk about a bad clinical trial.
Chapter 3
Summary: In the beginning of this chapter, she talks about how drug companies can blackmail the consumers into paying large amounts for the drugs, because they claim they need the money to make more lifesaving drugs. She also brings forward what some call the "black box", which is the secrecy of the companies with large expenses categorized "other".
Prediction: I predict that the author will say something about how the CEO's earn a great deal of money.
Chapter 4
Summary: This chapter was mainly about how many new and innovative drugs there actually were coming out. The companies claim that prices are high because of the innovative new drugs that are coming out on a yearly basis. According to the author, this is a lie because there are very few new drugs coming out. She then lists a bunch of drugs like this that have claims of high research and development costs, but really don't have high costs.
Prediction: I think that she will now talk about the drugs that are copies, or "me too" drugs.
Chapter 5
Summary: In the beginning of this chapter, the author talks about "me too" drugs. Seventy-seven percent of new drugs approved by the FDA are "me too" drugs. These "me too" drugs previously were patented, but when the patent expires many different companies begin to make what is basically the same drug. To get on the market, all they have to do is be proven better than a suger pill (placebo). She then uncovers a British company's scheme to extend their patent by making an identical drug and then switching the previous drug users over to it before the patent expired.
Prediction: I predict that she will uncover some other type of scandal in the drug industry.
Chapter 6
Summary: In this chapter, the author talks about how a clinical trial of a drug can be rigged and then gives an example of this foul play. She also talks about how doctor's think that they are getting unbiased information from medical journals when they really aren't. She tells that they companies put out biased trial reports that make their drugs look good.
Prediction: I predict that the offer will uncover some sort of bribing that is going on in the industry.
Chapter 7
Summary: This chapter talks about the advertising wars of drug companies. The drug companies fight for the consumer to request their drug and not a "me too" copy. She then goes into the four main types of advertising: direct, doctoral, free samples, and medical journal advertising. Direct advertising is advertising straight to the consumer, including TV commercials. Doctoral advertising is leading CME's, or continuing medical education. Free samples are given to the doctors to give to patients, and medical journal advertising is misleading advertisements in medical journals.
Prediction: I predict that the author will talk about a different type of black box, but this one will be about drug safety.
Chapter 8
Summary: This chapter begins by talking about how the government and doctors play along with drug companies lies because they are getting paid and bribed by the drug companies. The drug companies pay or help pay for professional meetings which helps get their name out and helps the professional societies put on their events.
Prediction: I predict that she will now talk about how the government gets bribed by drug companies.
Chapter 9
Summary: This chapter begins by discussing how drug companies market their drugs. The book talks about they can make it from a small grossing drug to a blockbuster drug (drug that makes over a billion annually). It also discusses Type 4 testing, which is after clinical trials and is very biased and profitable for the doctors who run them.
Prediction: I predict that the book will talk about how there is a Type 5 testing that is there just so that companies can say that it costs a lot for them to test their drugs.
Chapter 10
Summary: This chapter talks about how companies draw out their patents and exclusive rights for a longer time. It talks about how the company loses hundreds of millions of dollars a year after the generic drugs come out because of their lower price point. It then gives a couple of examples of this type situation.
Prediction: I predict that the next chapter will be about drug advertising.
Chapter 11
Summary: This chapter begins by talking about how medicare was changed in 2003 to pay for any and all perscription drugs. It also talks about how much money that drug companies spend on lobbyists in Washington, DC. The author says that the drug industry employs 675 lobbyist at a payroll of $91 million. This is the most out of any industry or any cause.
Prediction: I predict that the next chapter will talk about where the industry is headed in the future.
Chapter 12
Summary: This chapter talks about how America is one of the only developed countries that doesn't regulate drug prices. It also talks about the illegal importation of the drugs from Canada by consumers looking for better prices. It also shows the likely downward trend that the drug companies will face in the years to come.
Prediction: I predict that the last chapter will summarize and talk about how a person can watch out for the cheaper drugs.
Chapter 13
Summary: This chapter talks about things that the companies need to do to start moving in the right direciton again. Suggestion are make less "me too" drugs and more innovative drugs and be more truthful to the consumer. The author had one more important thing to say: the drug industry needs to stop corrupting new doctors through medical education.